Three. Years. Today.

It was exactly three years ago, today, that I found myself in my ENT's office in Amherst, New York, begging for him to remove my trach tube.

It was exactly three years ago, today, that my ENT tried to argue with me on whether or not I needed the trach at all. 

My ENT thought it was absolutely necessary for me to have.

I thought it was absolutely ridiculous.

And, acting as my own advocate, I insisted that he remove it.

So, exactly three years ago, today, he did.

And I have been trach-free ever since.

I think what my ENT was failing to acknowledge at the time was that the only reason I got the trach in the first place was for the benefit of Thaddeus. Once he was here, and I was stable, I knew in my heart that that thing was coming out of my neck.

That thing that made it painful to turn my head to the left or the right.

That thing that required me to shower with cellophane wrapped tightly around my neck.

That thing that had me coughing up blood for nearly 6 weeks.

That thing that required me to use a suction straw and a generator, several times a day, and clean all the way down until I practically reached my lungs.

No one should ever have to go through that, let alone when they are 25 years old.

If you are reading this right now, and you have a trach, I admire your courage and your strength.

If you are reading this right now, and you don't think it could ever be possible to live through a trach, I ask you to understand that it wasn't exactly something I ever saw in my future, either.

Do you smoke? 

Because I promise you the good feeling brought about by those cigarettes is not worth any part of your life being lived with a hole in your neck.

And, while the possibility of another one looms over my head with each passing day that I live with this disease, I have to say now that I am definitely thankful that my time with the plastic tube was short-lived.

And I'm thankful that it helped to ensure the safe arrival of my favorite monkey.

I hope he reads this in 20 years and decides to save up for something really expensive as a way to say, "Thank you."

Just kidding, Thaddeus!

(sort of)